the Breville Test Kitchen
Otto’s Vanillekipferl (Vanilla Crescent Cookies)
Golden, buttery, sugar-dusted bites of holiday happiness. Our Head of Cuisine Otto knew it was Christmas when his German grandma’s kitchen carried the heavy scent of warm vanilla sugar. A family tradition, everyone gathered to bake these nutty crescent cookies, gifting them to family and friends over the holidays. Simple Christmas magic with love.

the Smart Oven® Air Fryer Pro
45 mins total time
15 mins active time
Easy
Makes Approx 22
Ingredients
Measurements:
Cooking spray
1⅓ cups (7 oz) all-purpose flour
5 oz chilled unsalted butterchopped
¼ cup (1¾ oz) white sugar
½ cup (2 oz) ground almonds
½ cup (3½ oz) vanilla sugar
Instructions
- 1Lightly spray the pizza pan with oil and line with parchment paper.
- 2Insert the wire rack into position 5. Set the oven to Cookies, Convection, 350°F, for 12 minutes and press Start to preheat. Meanwhile, continue to the next step.
- 3Place the flour and butter in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the sugar and ground almonds and process until the mixture begins to come together.
- 4Carefully remove the blade from the processor. Turn the dough out onto the countertop and bring together into a smooth disk.
- 5Cut the dough into four portions and shape each portion into a log, approximately ¾-inch in diameter. Cut the log into 1½-inch lengths, then shape each length into a crescent. Place evenly spaced apart on the prepared pan.
- 6Once preheated, place the pan in the oven and cook for 12 minutes.
- 7The vanillekipferl should be just beginning to color. If not, cook them a little longer.
- 8Remove from the oven and stand on the pan to cool for 2 minutes. Then, one at a time, place the vanillekipferl in the vanilla sugar and toss to coat. Using a fork, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- 9Serve or store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.